TABLE 1.
Characteristics and Precipitating Circumstances of Black Youth Suicide Decedents Aged 5–17 Years in the United States, From the National Violent Data Reporting System (NVDRS) (2003–2017)
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Age 5–11 y (n = 75)
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Age 12–14 y (n = 182)
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Age 15–17 y (n = 369)
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Statistic | df | p | ||||
| Characteristic | n | % | n | % | n | % | |||
| Sex (% girls) | 14a | 18.7 | 68b | 37.4 | 97a | 26.3 | χ2 = 11.44 | 2 | .003 |
| Ethnicity | FET | .792 | |||||||
| Non-Hispanic | 73 | 97.3 | 176 | 96.7 | 355 | 96.2 | |||
| Hispanic | 1 | 1.3 | 4 | 2.2 | 11 | 3.0 | |||
| Unknown | 1 | 1.3 | 1 | 0.5 | 2 | 0.5 | |||
| Suicide Method | χ2 = 76.08 | 4 | <.001 | ||||||
| Hanging, strangulation, or suffocation | 69 | 92.0 | 141 | 77.5 | 179 | 48.5 | |||
| Firearm | 4 | 5.3 | 33 | 18.1 | 157 | 42.5 | |||
| Poisoning and other methodsa | 2 | 2.7 | 8 | 4.4 | 33 | 8.9 | |||
| Injury occurred at decedent’s residence (% Yes) | 71a | 94.7 | 161a | 88.5 | 262b | 71.0 | χ2 = 39.75 | 3 | <.001 |
| Precipitating Circumstances b | |||||||||
| Relationship problems | |||||||||
| Boyfriend/girlfriend problem | 1a | 1.4 | 10a | 6.5 | 65b | 19.9 | FET | <.001 | |
| Boyfriend/girlfriend problem was a crisis | 1a | 1.4 | 3a | 1.9 | 26b | 8.0 | FET | .007 | |
| Family problem | 26a | 37.7 | 56a | 36.4 | 73b | 22.3 | χ2 = 13.71 | 2 | .001 |
| Family problem was a crisis | 10a | 14.5 | 27a | 17.5 | 26a,b | 8.0 | χ2 = 10.19 | 2 | .006 |
| Friend problem | 15 | 21.7 | 33 | 21.4 | 55 | 16.8 | χ2 = 1.93 | 2 | .381 |
| Friend problem was a crisis | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1.3 | 6 | 1.8 | FET | .778 | |
| Precipitating Circumstances b |
Age 5–11 y (n = 75)
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Age 12–14 y (n = 182)
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Age 15–17 y (n = 369)
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| n | % | n | % | n | % | Statistic | df | p | |
| Interpersonal Trauma and Life Stressors | |||||||||
| Decedent had a history of abuse | 4 | 5.8 | 3 | 1.9 | 8 | 2.4 | FET | .257 | |
| Suicide directly precipitated by abuse | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.9 | 1 | 0.3 | FET | .147 | |
| Perpetrator of interpersonal violence | 2 | 2.9 | 4 | 2.6 | 15 | 4.6 | FET | .655 | |
| Victim of interpersonal violence | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.9 | 2 | 0.6 | FET | .247 | |
| Involved in physical fight immediately before death | 1 | 1.4 | 1 | 0.6 | 3 | 0.9 | FET | .844 | |
| An argument or conflict led to the decedent’s death | 13 | 18.8 | 42 | 27.3 | 59 | 18.0 | χ2 = 5.60 | 2 | .061 |
| Timing of the argument that led to death | |||||||||
| Injury occurred during argument | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 7 | 2.1 | FET | .116 | |
| Injury occurred within 24 h of argument | 10a | 14.5 | 31a | 20.1 | 33a,b | 10.1 | χ2 = 9.13 | 2 | .010 |
| Injury occurred between 24 h and 2 wk | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.6 | 5 | 1.5 | FET | .593 | |
| Physical health problem | 2 | 2.9 | 2 | 1.3 | 11 | 3.4 | FET | .474 | |
| School problem | 23a | 33.3 | 57a | 37.0 | 70b | 21.4 | χ2 = 14.32 | 2 | .001 |
| School problem was a crisis | 6a | 8.7 | 13a | 8.4 | 12a,b | 3.7 | χ2 = 5.87 | 2 | .053 |
| Death of friend or family member | 5 | 7.2 | 9 | 5.8 | 19 | 5.8 | χ2 = 0.22 | 2 | .897 |
| Crime and Criminal Activity | |||||||||
| Recent criminal legal problem | 0a | 0.0 | 6a | 3.9 | 32b | 9.8 | FET | .002 | |
| Other legal problem | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1.3 | 8 | 2.4 | FET | .471 | |
| Suicide-Related Circumstances | |||||||||
| History of suicidal thoughts or plans | 12 | 17.4 | 24 | 15.6 | 52 | 15.9 | χ2 = 0.12 | 2 | .941 |
| History of suicide attempt | 10 | 14.5 | 27 | 17.5 | 56 | 17.1 | χ2 = 0.34 | 2 | .844 |
| Suicide intent disclosed within past month | 19 | 27.5 | 24 | 15.6 | 72 | 22.0 | χ2 = 4.72 | 2 | .095 |
| Suicide note | 8a | 11.6 | 33a | 21.4 | 83b,a | 25.4 | χ2 = 6.36 | 2 | .042 |
| Recent suicide of friend or family member | 1 | 1.4 | 3 | 1.9 | 6 | 1.8 | FET | .967 | |
Note: FET = Fisher’s exact test.
a
Other suicide methods include fall, transportation-related, drowning, cut/pierce, fire/burn, overdose, and unspecified methods.
b
Precipitating circumstances were known in 550 youths: 5–11 y (n = 69); 12–14 y (n = 154); 15–17 y (n = 327).